US 12,265,182 B2
Method and system for optical data communication via ladar
Luis Carlos Dussan, Dublin, CA (US); Allan Steinhardt, Dublin, CA (US); David Cook, Dublin, CA (US); and Blair B. Lacorte, Dublin, CA (US)
Assigned to AEye, Inc., Dublin, CA (US)
Filed by AEYE, Inc., Dublin, CA (US)
Filed on Aug. 16, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/234,491.
Application 18/234,491 is a continuation of application No. 17/394,104, filed on Aug. 4, 2021, granted, now 11,835,658.
Application 17/394,104 is a continuation of application No. 15/896,262, filed on Feb. 14, 2018, granted, now 11,092,676, issued on Aug. 17, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/460,520, filed on Feb. 17, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2024/0012118 A1, Jan. 11, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01S 17/10 (2020.01); G01S 7/00 (2006.01); G01S 7/481 (2006.01); G01S 7/484 (2006.01); G01S 7/4861 (2020.01); G01S 7/4865 (2020.01); G01S 7/487 (2006.01); G01S 17/06 (2006.01); G01S 17/66 (2006.01); G01S 17/86 (2020.01); G01S 17/931 (2020.01); G01S 13/931 (2020.01)
CPC G01S 7/4861 (2013.01) [G01S 7/006 (2013.01); G01S 7/4816 (2013.01); G01S 7/484 (2013.01); G01S 7/4865 (2013.01); G01S 7/487 (2013.01); G01S 7/4873 (2013.01); G01S 7/4876 (2013.01); G01S 17/06 (2013.01); G01S 17/10 (2013.01); G01S 17/66 (2013.01); G01S 17/86 (2020.01); G01S 17/931 (2020.01); G01S 2013/9316 (2020.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A ladar system comprising:
a ladar transmitter that transmits a plurality of ladar pulses toward a plurality of targets in a field of view, wherein the ladar transmitter is operable in a ladar mode and an optical communication mode, wherein the ladar transmitter comprises a plurality of scannable mirrors and wherein the ladar transmitter transmits the ladar pulses towards the targets via the scannable mirrors;
a ladar receiver that receives and processes reflections of a plurality of the ladar pulses transmitted by the ladar transmitter when operating in the ladar mode to perform range point measurements with respect to targets that were targeted by the ladar transmitter when operating in the ladar mode; and
a processor that (1) determines a location in the field of view where a device is located that is capable of receiving optically transmitted data messages and (2) identifies the determined location as a target for a plurality of ladar pulses for transmission by the ladar transmitter when operating in the optical communication mode, wherein the ladar pulses for transmission by the ladar transmitter when operating in the optical communication mode encode one or more data messages to be optically communicated to the device.